\\t Canadian IrttomrioaM 



Vol. XXXIII. LONDON, APRIL, 1901. No. 4 



NOTES ON WALKER'S TYPES OF SPILOSOMA CONGRUA, 

 AND A FEW OTHER TYPES IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.* 



BY HENRY H. LYMAN, MONTREAL. 



Having arranged for a two months trip to Europe during the past 

 summer, I determined to visit the Natural History Branch of the British 

 Museum, to endeavour to clear up the doubt surrounding Walker's Spil- 

 osotna Congrua, taking with me a number of specimens of S. Antigone, 

 Strecker ; a pair of the heavily-spotted Gomin form of Spilosoma, which 

 Dr. Fyles calls Cunea, lent to me by Mr. Winn; a typical female specimen 

 of 5. Prima, kindly given to me by Mrs. Slosson ; and a small series of 

 Hyphantria Cunea, Drury. I reached London late on the 26th June, but 

 on the morning of the 29th received a cablegram which necessitated my 

 immediate return home. After making my arrangements to sail from 

 Liverpool on the 30th, I found I had a few hours to spare, and so paid a 

 very hurried visit to the Museum, and was shown what was supposed to 

 be the three types of Congrua by Sir George Hampson, who kindly 

 remained after the closing hour to accommodate me. 



I had not sufficient time to make any attempt to verify these types by 

 comparing them with Walker's original description, or that subsequently 

 made by Grote & Robinson, or by looking up the register of acquisitions, 

 and as Sir George Hampson seemed quite positive that there could be no 

 mistake, I accepted his dictum. I would call attention to the note pub- 

 lished by Mr. A. G. Butler in 1875, to the effect that the only specimens 

 then representing Congrua in the British Museum collection were a pre- 

 sumably female specimen of S. Virginica, without abdomen, and what he 

 believed to be a male variety of Hyphantria Cunea. The three specimens 

 shown to me I found to be : 



: Read at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario, Nov., iqco. 



